What could be more deliciously indulgent than a fall or winter break on Lake Como? It’s a reminder of life’s true priorities: love and beauty, long walks in the chestnut woods, a slice of bread still warm from the oven, drizzled with new-pressed olive oil. The French writer Albert Camus saw autumn as a second spring, “when every leaf is a flower,” and at Passalacqua, we couldn’t agree more. There is a dolce energia in the year’s turn toward rest, a joyful promise in the autumn fruits and a special pleasure in a sun-drenched lakeside lunch, often enjoyed al fresco as late as December.
Season of style
At Passalacqua, we love any excuse to play dress up—especially when that means turning the estate into a fall fantasy or a winter wonderland. In October, we celebrate the spooky season with trick-or-treating Italian style: dolcetti like our famous glazed pumpkin cake at breakfast and scherzetti like the enchanted pumpkin patch in our orchard and beyond. The real revelation comes in November, when our pool transforms into a floating ice-skating rink with the lake spread out below. Crackling fire pits and cozy outdoor lounges line the ice, with mulled wine and roasted chestnuts served rinkside. Steps away, our fairy design godmother, JJ Martin of La DoubleJ, sprinkles her magic dust on the Winter Garden, conjuring a holiday Wunderkammer of festive lanterns, fanciful window decorations and a larger-than-life Christmas tree trimmed with ornaments made just for Passalacqua.
Every day is a gift
We harness the season’s power to calm and soothe with daily Cozy Winter Yoga sessions and leisurely guided walks through the villa’s history. In our master classes, guests can try their hand at making festive arrangements with our resident florist or indulge in the finest holiday flavors with cookie workshops, live demonstrations with our chefs or cocktail classes with both hot and cold libations perfect for long winter nights. New this year, our Merende d’inverno turn afternoon snack time into a celebration in the Winter Garden: specialty hot chocolates, Christmas treats and chestnuts still warm from the fire.
Let us pamper you
Fall and winter are the ideal self-care seasons, a time to nurture body and soul. When you step into the Passalacqua Spa, you leave your cares at the door and let healing wash over you in the dappled light of our Moroccan lamps. The treatment and relaxation rooms in the Palazz are just the beginning—in the villa’s subterranean tunnels, you’ll find the sauna and steam bath as well as a heated indoor pool suspended between mountain grotto and lakeside idyll. This winter we’ve added a new ritual to the spa menu, “Like the Lake’s Waves,” inspired by the gentle rhythms of Lake Como. Silk stamps filled with rice, Himalayan salt, herbs and spices are dipped in warm almond oil for this soothing, rhythmic massage that delivers deep relaxation.
Reveal the ritual
Discover our Spa treatments
Autumn tastes, winter flavors
To dine at Passalacqua is to follow in the footsteps of the noble families of yesteryear, who traveled with their cuochi di casa from city palazzo to countryside manor to lakeside estate. Our talented chef Viviana Varese has revived this great tradition, embracing refined Italian home cooking with her signature, often irreverent flair. This fall and winter, Viviana has a few surprises in store, whether that’s a winemaker’s dinner with Benjamin Franchetti of Tenuta di Trinoro, truffle-forward menus to tempt your tastebuds and traditional Lombard feasts in the Cantinone, where the vaulted ceilings, rustic tables and candlelight provide the icing on the culinary cake.
Festive days
There’s no better place to bring family and friends for a festive break—or dare we suggest, to escape from them—than Passalacqua. Whatever your excuse, we bring the autumn and winter holiday seasons to life with sumptuous decorations, beguiling table settings and tempting menus created by Viviana Varese. Expect traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve dinners with all the trimmings (and a few of Viviana’s signature twists!), carols over Christmas Day lunch, an over-the-top Italian cenone as we count down to the midnight fireworks on New Year’s Eve and a leisurely brunch on New Year’s Day. In town, guests can enjoy the De Santis family’s private box at the opera house Teatro Sociale, lined this season in Ai Weiwei’s "Finger" damask for Rubelli. Holiday highlights on the program include “A Christmas Carol” and “The Nutcracker.”
